Past Blogs

Chevrolet Introduces New Efficient Transmission

For the past decade or so, Ford and Chevrolet have been collaborating on new transmissions designed to deliver more power while using less fuel. Ford has already been showing off the fruits of these labors now that the brand’s 10-speed transmissions are debuting in Ford’s lineup, but Chevrolet recently unveiled a new efficient transmission that’s bound for the Malibu, Cruze Diesel model, and the new Equinox. It’s reportedly going to be a nine-speed automatic.

Chevy representatives told the media that the new transmission, which is likely to eventually replace the current six-speed, will boost fuel economy 2%. While that number doesn’t necessarily sound very high right now, that’s a statistic that will add up over time. It’s also another step towards achieving the goal of better efficiency in the face of tightening government standards and restrictions regarding automobile fuel economy.

One of the most interesting things about the new efficient transmission from Chevy is that, while it has 50% more gears to support smoother shifting and engine stop-start systems, it is roughly the same size of the current six-speed automatic transmission and will only add 22 lbs to the vehicle, preserving fuel economy and performance even further. The 2017 Malibu already offers the new transmission, while the Cruze Diesel and 2018 Equinox will have it as an option next year.